2012: A look back on The Club’s 50th Anniversary Year

2012 marked the 50th Anniversary of The Club, a milestone that continues to signify The Club is older than the United Arab Emirates itself.

In The Club's Anniversary year, Hamish Macdonald, Club Chairman said ‘it is wholly appropriate in this momentous year to give our deepest thanks to two great men without whose vision and generosity The Club would not exist. His Highness Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan Al Nahyan, former Ruler of Abu Dhabi, gave The Club’s founders leave to form a social club for expatriates in 1962

 A few years later, his successor and the founder of the United Arab Emirates and its first President, His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, graciously granted those same founders the plot of land on which The Club now stands.

Both men were expressly supportive of expatriates in the early days and throughout their lives. They realised the need for expatriates to have a base, a place to call their own and a chance to have a social life after work.’

The Founder Members themselves are unable to recall the exact date in 1962 that The Club was first formulated, therefore a The Club celebrated its 50th anniversary with a full year long celebration in 2012.

The highlights of the year included:

• The Club's Birthday Weekend - a non-stop party from Thursday 15th March to Saturday 17th March featuring 'Dance Around the Clock' (The Club's annual charitable mission of 24 hours of non-stop dancing in aid of Medecins sans Frontieres), firedancers, live music bands, children's fun and games, a double decker bus chill out zone, fireworks, a giant birthday cake and much, much more.
• After Dinner Speaker evenings with Robbie Glen, Dr. Kevin Jones, Paul Sinha GP and Ali Alsaloom of Ask Ali fame.
• The Chairman's VIP Gala Dinner with The Club's founding Members and dignitaries.
• Celebrity Chef demonstrations with Willie Harcourt-Cooze of Willie's Cacao and Ariana Bundy, author of Pomegranates and Roses
• Stars on the Lawn, a Black tie Garden Party with free-flowing bubbly, gourmet canapes and sensational music from John Innes, Moray Innes and the Abu Dhabi Big Band.
• Golden Jubilee Photography and Writing Competition
• A wealth of successful Golden Jubilee Sub Section events
• A sensational black tie, New Year's Eve Gala to round off the extraordinary year.

To record the story of The Club, both past and present, The Club at 50 is a documentary video available for Members from the main reception. Additionally, a beautiful coffee table book has been produced to showcase the history and present of The Club. Copies of the book are available from the main reception.

The Club's 50th Anniversary year was proudly sponsored by: